Just a quick note about performance tonight. It's first time I saw the new set design for Jewels. I think Emeralds and Rubies look stuning while Diamonds looked a little 'dirty' Just coming back form injurie, Damian lacked spark in Rubies. The new solo girl Teresa Reichlen looked very impressive. very tall with long legs. seems a new Maria in the making

Just home from tonight's performance and agreed that sets for Emeralds and Rubies were just fine....Diamonds was less than creative. Changes in the casting disappointed me. No Miranda Weese in Rubies nor will she be seen the rest of OCPAC run. Ansanelli stepped in with her usual spark and sponteneity. Bourder lit up the stage in Emeralds trio. Tess Riechlin commanded the stage in tall girl role of Rubies. The divine Ms. Whelan was superb in Diamonds (although her foot seemed to bother her at the end) . The corps was spotty. Lots of young'ins.......This was not a brilliant night for NYCB....but fine....wonder if it was the jet lag? I am very sad that Miranda will not be dancing....wishing her well!

This may be because the company just came in from Tokyo a few days ago, but much of the dancing appeared tentative. None of it was bad, by any means, but save for a few standout performances things felt subdued Wednesday night. I would normally forgive the company on opening night, but I also felt the same way while I was in New York this past may (at the time, I chalked it up to constantly performing a 7 show schedule for weeks on end). The steps, in NY, all seemed to be there, but warmth only seemed to come in bursts from a few soloists, or from a few select pieces.

Emeralds: Jennifer Ringer was mesmerizing in Emeralds – she was the second soloist for the solo variations, and the second pas de deux with James Fayette (I can’t seem to get the “role” distinctions correct in my head at the moment). Very musical, seemed to melt into the music and let it take her for a ride. Looking back on the entire evening, I would say Ringer’s two solos were the most memorable portions of the evening; they were moments where I was completely taken into the performance and got a swell of happiness as the solo ended. Rachel Rutherford was the other main girl, and she was fine, though noticeably jerky in some parts. Ashley Bouder, Megan Fairchild and Arch Higgins danced the pas de trois; Bouder tore into the role in her usual fearless style, but that kind of attack didn’t quite work in Emeralds. It was too harsh and speedy, so this quality that I so liked of hers when I saw her in New York seemed to work against her here. Perhaps she’ll need to calm down into the role as she grows. Emeralds as a whole has really grown on me; when the Kirov was here last year, it was the part of Jewels that I just wanted to get through, to see the rest of the ballet. But Wednesday, it was my favorite part of the entire evening.

Rubies: Wednesday night, my eye was drawn straight to Teresa Reichlin for Rubies, she dancing the tall-girl role and being great fun to watch. As the curtain rose, she established herself as THE person to watch for this ballet – this despite the fact that she technically isn’t the lead in Rubies. Amazingly flexible, also played it coy and sexy. The lead couple was Alexandra Ansanelli and Damien Woetzel, who performed admirably. However, some of the fun, jazzy elements appeared “put on” for the two of them – it was like they’d concentrate real hard to get some of the steps right, then suddenly go “Oh yes! This part can be fun and I can swivel my hips a bit and wink!” But then they’d fall back into trying to get through the steps – it was inconsistent. Perhaps, though, anyone I see in the central couple of Rubies will forever more be compared to Diana Vishneva’s absolutely searing performance with the Kirov Ballet last year – Vishneva just had IT with that role: there was fire, there was sexiness, there was flirtation. It was stunning to say the least, and so that likely made it hard for Ansanelli to stack up in my mind. Also, on opening night, the performance lacked a bit of spark because of the orchestra's subdued and somewhat clumsy playing of the score. It seemed they were conciously trying to keep it slow for the dancers, while the dancers looked like they were holding back to stay with the orchestra.

Diamonds: Performed crisply and cleanly by the company as a whole, but there wasn’t much excitement to the whole affair. There was nothing to complain about, but nothing to write home about either – just a clean performance. Wendy Whelan and Nilas Martins were the lead couple. Again, with the pair, nice and clean execution of the pas de deux, with Whelan showing remarkable control and Martins partnering steadily and surely.

Now, about those new sets: I loved the Rubies set, with those geometric, bright red lines coming down the sides and back of the stage, and a burst of lines up at the top. It was just perfect for this ballet, especially when the curtain rises on all those girls lined up on point – the juxtaposition of the bright, straight white lines of everyone’s tights against the red lines was one hell of a stunner. The only thing I found strange was the glowing-red asteroid type object painted into the upper part of the backdrop; I know it’s supposed to be a kind of imppresionist ruby, but it looks like a glowing space object – those of you from Southern California will get this reference, but as I looked at it, it looked like the giant planet from the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland. Otherwise, though, I liked the Rubies set very much.

The Emeralds set worked fine; it was inobtrusive and atmospheric enough to give that ballet the hazy, seductive feeling it needed. The Diamonds set, on the other hand, I did not like at all. It looked cartoonish, in a Christmas-card, winter wonderland kind of way. I suppose you could say it is designed to be reminiscent of a Russian winter palace – but still, the way the set was painted and set up, it looks like a giant cartoon, not elegant or grand at all.

Looking forward now to tomorrow night, with Serenade, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Stars and Stripes.

Just a few jottings to go along with these others. THanks all for sharing your thoughts.

New York City Ballet began its southern California appearance at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa last night. Visits in recent years from Brits, St. Petersburgians, Moscovites, Italians, Germans, San Franciscans, Manhattanites, etc have made it no trick to be a connoisseur of "Swan Lake," "Giselle," "Cinderella," "Romeo and Juliet," etc. But courtesy Miami City Ballet, the Kirov, and now the grand old New York City Ballet, by the end of the week, Southern California audiences will be in the curious position of being experts on a full evening plotless ballet, the splendid "Jewels" choreographed by Balanchine.

Beginning with "Emeralds" is, I think, something of a special challenge on a weekday. The music's delicacy and the ballet's, with its hints of courtly romance submerged just below the surface of its stately choreography, must have more to overcome to get into the audience's consciousness still reverberating from contact with the late industrial world of the 21st century. Tonite’s performance, beautiful as always, seemed somehow smaller in scope and ambition than the ballet’s choreography. The performance seemed to be reticent as if unwilling to submerge itself into its world of romance and noblesse. The pas de trois for Ashley Bouder, Arch Higgins, and Megan Fairchild stood out for its breathy exuberance. Jenifer Ringer and James Fayette's interpretation for the Nocturne (the "walking" pas de deux) was also noteworthy. Rachel Rutherford and Robert Tewsley danced the other principal couple.

After the intermission, "Rubies" was something of a relief. Alexandra Ansanelli and Damian Woetzel danced "Rubies" as game – sometimes fun, sometimes sportive, occasionally sexy. Ansanelli, particularly, often looked less like a ballerina and more like a merry prankster. Woetzel seemed to more or less coast along for the ride. Perhaps the most interesting performance was Teresa Reichlen's Rubies soloist. It was as if the Rubies principal and the Rubies soloist had swapped personalities. Tall, thin as a slip, slippery, and blonde, Reichlen's soloist was less the saucy daughter of the regiment of other versions and more like some icey, man eating über-mädchen. If Ansanelli's performance wanted to make us smile, Reichlen's Rubies soloist made us want to smirk.

Wendy Whelan and Nilas Martins danced the principal duet in the final work “Diamonds.” Whelan only gets better over time. Her Diamonds ballerina is richer and fuller than when I saw her dance the same role in 1998. Martins seemed too restrained and sometimes unexciting. His partnering was smooth but also not very exciting. The corps looked strong though occasionally less secure in their placement as if they needed to rehearse a little more on the Segerstrom Hall stage.

If you haven't been to New York City for this past repertory season, you might find that the new design takes a little getting used to. For this revival, "Emeralds" now has a very green, jungle-like backdrop with vaguely ornamental shapes hanging like vines and moss. "Rubies" has vertical red stripes setting off the wings and a red drawing suggestive of a planet or moon or maybe just a large rock near the top of the set. "Diamonds" has a cool blue color suggesting an ice cave or grotto. I'm not sure I prefer these to the older, simpler sets or the palatial curtains that San Francisco Ballet's production featured but everybody will have to decide the success of the new design for themselves.

What a difference a day makes!!! Briefly, great performance tonight and a wonderful meal of Balanchine for the audience. Serenade never disappoints....Janie Taylor was a knock out as Russian girl. I had forgotten how witty Stravinsky Violin Concerto is. And Stars and Stripes was dessert and so appropo for the Pres. Debate night! The audience was out of their seats tonight

Agreed, Fairwind - what a different a day makes. Thursday night was much more exciting than opening, though I was a bit scared towards the beginning that it would turn out subdued like Wednesday. Let's just say "Serenade" got off to a slow start.

It’s not very possible to mess up the opening tableau of “Serenade” – the image is gasp inducing without needing any movement at all. But as the dancing began Thursday night, the corps, like on opening, seemed to be thinking its way slowly through the steps instead of dancing through with the music. The steps were present and correct, but there was no excitement. That didn’t change until halfway through the second movement, where the soloists start to take over the bulk of the dancing. Darci Kistler was the Girl Who Falls Down, and though she danced understatedly – that is, no fierce attack and no display of amazing flexibility – it was an assured performance, and one could tell this was a veteran turning in a model performance. As the Russian girl, Janie Taylor added the much needed spark to the ballet as she tore up the stage in the third movement – and it was appropriate, too, as it was right in line with the music’s up tempo. Taylor was confident and hit all her technical feats perfectly, so it was refreshing to finally see some fire up there on stage. Maria Kowroski as the Dark Angel was serenely perfect – by being there, confident and precise, it did wonders above the corps’ stepping through of their roles in the 4th movement. By this point in the ballet, however, the corps’ role is much reduced, and the focus is instead on the prinicipals, who salvaged what would have been a very dull performance of “Serenade.” After this piece, it seemed there was a very distinct discrepancy in the quality of dancing between the corps and the soloists/principal ranks – the upper ranks are doing just fine, but the corps appears very young and somewhat nervous up there. More experience seemed necessary.

The company gave a fine performance of “Stravinsky Violin Concerto,” with Yvonne Boree, Nikolaj Hubbe, Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto in the leads. The piece is a wonderful program partner with “Serenade” – it’s a great contrast, and the choreography is angular and witty, just like Stravinsky’s concerto. The ensemble was sharper and more aware of its presence on stage when it was in fewer numbers – in the groups of four, and even when they recombined in full for the finale, they were an entirely different-feeling ensemble from “Serenade.” Whelan and Soto did a fine first Aria. Whelan seemed more at home in the more contemporary style of “Stravinsky Violin Concerto” than she did in the Diamonds pas de deux last night; not quite sure how to describe it, but she seemed more free and didn’t have to project an overly majestic air to her dancing – she could just dance (similarly, in New York, I enjoyed her in Four Temperaments, but found her to be rather boring in Stars and Stripes). Borree and Hubbe were playful in the second aria; great job there. With the jaunty music of the finale, the company picked up the dancing and really reveled in it. Finally, as the curtain fell on “Violin Concerto,” I really felt like we were getting New York City Ballet on its best legs.

“Stars and Stripes” was just a firecracker of a finale. The entire company – from top to bottom – was simply “on” for this closing piece. There was great dancing with personality and musicality, there was fun, and there was excitement up there on stage. And the audience ate it up, capping things off with a standing ovation. Ashley Bouder led the first campaign; they should have Bouder start things more often – her sheer sense of confidence and precise technical ability in “Stars and Stripes” really made the stage much brighter than it had been for much of the run. Bouder has remarkable presence – she knows how to BE on stage and project a personality to the audience, thus putting it in a happy mood for the rest of the ballet to come. This made it easy for Ellen Bar and Tom Gold, leading the second and third campaigns, respectively, to come in and wow the audience with technical tricks. Alexandra Ansanelli and Damien Woetzel then blew the top off the piece with their pas de deux. It was a completely charming and delightful performance from the both of them, as they flirted and joked with each other through the duet while continuing to wow with technical tricks. By the time the finale came, they had the audience in their hands – and the crowd was even clapping along to the thumpy music.

So by the end of Thursday’s performance, fears that the company might turn in stale performances for the rest of the run were put to rest. We’ll see what happens tomorrow night – the company will need to work on the slower, more traditional looking pieces like “Serenade” and portions of “Jewels,” but at least the capacity for excitement has shown itself.

Lewis Segal reviews the opening night of "Jewels" in the Los Angeles Times (requires a paid subscription to read):

Quote:

Some 'Jewels' shine more than others

By Lewis Segal , Times Staff Writer

Because it reflects nearly every facet of Euro-American ballet classicism — every major epoch and style in the development of the art — choreographer George Balanchine's full-evening "Jewels" has become a showpiece that major companies covet to display their prowess and plenitude.

This plotless, three-part statement of heritage should belong, body and soul, to New York City Ballet, which premiered it in 1967 and danced it at the Orange County Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, the opening of a two-week season in two Southland venues. But Miami City Ballet and the Kirov have each offered distinctive interpretations on local stages recently. And the NYCB production and casting were by no means ideal.

The gist: Segal felt Whelan and Martins were miscast in "Diamonds," with the corps performing in a rather dull manner as well. Teresa Reichlin was singled out in a good way in "Rubies," and "Emeralds" was given an overall thumbs up.

Thanks again guys for your impressions! I agree with you both that things were brighter on the whole Thursday night.

Here are a few notes of mine - just a few, quick notes for Thursday evening’s show.

The evening began with “Serenade” which along with “Agon” and “Prodigal Son” is one of the ballets most closely associated with Balanchine and New York City Ballet. I love this ballet for its delicate textures drawn from every moonlit, romance drenched ballet we’ve ever seen with Shades, swans, wilis, peris, ondines, etc. Unlike Wednesday’s opening work, Thursday’s was full of energy, the solo variations more convincing, and the corps more conscious. Janie Taylor gave a particularly sumptuous performance. I hope we get to see more of her this run. Darci Kistler and Maria Kowroski were the other female principals. Charles Askegard and James Fayette danced the principal male roles.

“Stravinksy Violin Concerto” came after the intermission and, interestingly, gave us a new, more smiley look for the company. Is it just me, but I seem to remember “Violin Concerto” as being infused with a mood of danger and not having anything amusing about it. The 2 Aria pieces always seem to have something ferocious (a kind of anti- romantic pas de deux) about it like the male and female dancers were scorpions in a bottle, especially in Aria I. But this evening’s performance gave us principal couples who seemed to be comfortable with each other even as they struggled and contended against each other. Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto danced Aria I and Yvonne Borree and Nikolaj Hubbe danced Aria II. Kurt Nikkanen played the violin.

OK, we showed our civil apathy by coming to the ballet instead of staying home to watch the presidential election debate on TV. But, we did clap and cheer for “Stars and Stripes.” Who can resist big smiles, marches, uniforms, and flag waving in time of war? Alexandra Ansanelli and Damien Woetzel danced Liberty Bell and El Capitan and were audience favorites. Ashley Bouder, Ellen Bar, and Tom Gold led the troops to ultimate victory, or to be more accurate, a standing ovation.

Friday nights performance.....quick notes before I turn in! "Polyphonia" was an interesting work by Wheeldon and I did like much of it....some of the duets did not seem extremely inventive, others were full of twists and turns that delighted me. Great cast with Whelan and Soto being standouts. The evening was worth the price of admission just to see Maria Kowroski partnered by Askegard in "Thou Swell" Now that is WOW factor! And also my very first viewing of Sofiane Sylve in the 2nd movement of "Symphony in C" I will come see her dance anything. She has brilliant technique, is glamorous and can take a phrase of movement and make magic out of it! Cannot say enough about her. The Bizet piece looked very well rehearsed and neatly danced by all..... but Sylve was the star of the evening IMO.....

Sofiane Sylve was the highlight of the evening, with a truly mesmerizing Second Movement in “Symphony in C” (the closing ballet of the evening). Her dancing had mystery to it; there was some real personality, as well as being wonderfully musical. It was clear she was THE ballerina, with the way she carried herself in regal style. The corps de ballet which backed up the rest of the ballet, however, was disappointingly sloppy and sluggish, taking much of the momentum out of the ballet. Especially in the fourth movement, where the dancing is supposed to build to a crescendo of unified movement, the disunity of style and musicality was alarming – made the ending very anticlimactic.

“Thou Swell” – the middle piece on the program – felt like an entertainment on a cruise ship. Performances were fine, especially from Darci Kistler and Maria Kowroski, but I can’t say its one of my favorite ballets. The choreography is unremarkable, the piece continues for longer than it really should, and the musicians and singers give that atmosphere of a lounge act. The dancing for the men was more Broadway in style – but unfortunately, this style doesn’t fit well on NYCB’s very classical men. It was too pretty, too balletic, and not enough “pizzazz” or raw oomph (for lack of a more coherent way of describing it).

Having gone completely in reverse in my review here, “Polyphonia” opened the program and was the best overall piece of the night. Great dancing all around, especially from Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto in the first and last pas de deux, and Alexandra Ansanelli in the sixth movement, with a pas de deux and great solo. The whole piece was very smooth and fluid – it floated above the music in a kind of ethereal way, with Wheeldon’s choreography providing fascinating movements and combinations. I last saw this danced by San Francisco Ballet, which seems to prefer a sharper attack to the piece, more in line with the jagged, near-pounding nature of the opening piano movement. But I like NYCB’s smoother interpretation; it’s not as jarring and it doesn’t look as much like “Stravinsky Violin Concerto.”

So, despite the great opening, with "Polyphonia," “Symphony in C” was a bit of a let down. So far, the company has done far better in the more modern-looking ballets – “Stravinsky Violin Concerto,” “Polyphonia,” and “Rubies” in particular – while the more traditional ones – especially “Diamonds, “Serenade” and “Symphony in C – have suffered. This is a bit troubling to find; at first I thought it might be a fluke on opening, but seeing “Symphony in C” in such a state was a bit nerve-racking.

"Polyphonia" is a work that I would associate with Wheeldon's group of "minimalist-abstract" works (with "ensemble-fanfare" and "story-classical" being the other two) that attempts to break new ground, partially through "beautified awkward phrases," without being avant-garde and too inaccessible. I have to say, of the works of this group, I like "Continuum" much better. It was nice however to see corps member Lindy Mandradjieff given a chance to shine in a lead role.

Regardless of its detractors, Martin's "Thou Swell" gives the dancers a vehicle to express themselves artistically, to Richard Rodgers show tunes, in a way that they cannot with the mechanically-controlled steps of neoclassical ballets. Maria Kowroski was as usual her leggily stunning self opposite a dashing Chuck Askergard but my favorite duo was the beautiful and glamorous husband and wife team of Jenifer Ringer and James Fayette.

The corps in "Symphony in C" must either be suffering from jet lag, exhaustion, too much shopping (the trendy South Coast Mall is just across the street from the hotel and theatre), or not enough rehearsals, most noticeably in the final movement. However, Sofiane Sylve is a creature of beauty on stage (and in the swimming pool too for that matter) and it was hard not to be distracted by her but having joined the company just last year from Dutch Nationale Ballet (if you don't count her guest stint in "Nutcracker" in 2002), she does look a little different from the other dancers. The partnering of soloist Megan Fairchild and Benjamin Millepied in the third movement, though not the most perfect, was a breath of fresh air -- they looked like they actually enjoy performing.

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